Immediate Family

About Elizabeth Inglis

Elizabeth Inglis (10 July 1913 – 25 August 2007) was a British actress, known for her role in The Letter, opposite Bette Davis.

Life and Career

Inglis was born Desiree Mary Lucy Hawkins in Colchester, Essex, the daughter of Margaret Inglis (née Hunt) and Alan George Hawkins. Her screen debut was in the 1934 film, Borrowed Clothes. She then went on to take a small part in the 1935 classic Alfred Hitchcock film, The 39 Steps as Hilary Jordan. She also appeared in the 1939 British telefilm version of Gaslight before taking on the role of Adele Ainsworth in The Letter in 1940 which marked the zenith of her film career. By this time she was appearing under the pseudonym/stage name, 'Elizabeth Earl'.

In 1942, she married Sylvester "Pat" Weaver. Weaver was an American radio advertising executive, who became president of NBC between 1953 and 1955. He was credited with helping to reshape broadcasting during the 1940s and '50s as television overtook radio as America's dominant form of home entertainment.

After marrying Weaver, Inglis retired from acting altogether. The couple had two children, one of whom is actress Sigourney Weaver. Inglis made a one-off return to acting in 1986 to star with her daughter Sigourney in Aliens. In the film, in a role reversal, her character plays Sigourney Weaver's character's daughter. The scene was deleted from the final cut of the film.

Inglis died on the 25 August 2007 in Santa Barbara, California, USA at the age of 94. She was the last known surviving member of the cast from Hitchcock's film, The 39 Steps.